


how happy the home

by wafflesofdoom



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Family Fluff, M/M, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-24 03:50:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13205295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: the adventures of aaron dingle, superdad.a series of parenthood drabbles for aaron & robert, originally prompted/posted on tumblr.





	1. lets go, little lamb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaron buys sebastian a lamb onesie, and cuteness ensues.

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron had never really understood, when his mum had gone to buy one of the many Dingle babies a present, and come home with bags of things for the baby. He’d always figured you go to the shop, get in, get what you need, and get out - simple as.

Then, he’d become a dad himself, and the wonders of baby clothes shopping had become his reality. Aaron was almost ashamed to admit how much money he’d spent in Mothercare, over the last few months, but he definitely didn’t regret it.

Not when he dressed Sebastian in the ridiculous sheep onesie he’d found online (his newfound love for online shopping could become concerning, if Robert wasn’t as bad as he was), and was standing in front of the full length mirror in his and Robert’s bedroom, grinning at the little sheep bundle in his hands.

Sebastian had started to fill out a lot, over the past few months, the tiny baby he once was long gone, replaced with an ten month old with a grip like no other, his tiny hands clutched tightly in the material of their t-shirts every night as he refused to go to sleep.

“Baah,” Aaron made the familiar animal sound, grinning to himself as Sebastian looked up at him, the sound distracting him from whatever he’d been staring at on their chest of drawers. “Yeah, that’s you in the mirror, buddy - you’re dressed up as a sheep today.”

Aaron swore Sebastian understood him, these days. Apparently there was no chance of it, but he was convinced Sebastian understood what he was nattering on about as he chatted to him during the day, his confused looks and grins passing as agreement to Aaron.

Fatherhood suited him, both of them. Robert worked two and a half days up at the yard, Aaron worked four (the full five, sometimes, if Gerry was being particularly useless, but he hated those weeks) and so there was always one of them at home with Sebastian.

Today was Aaron’s day.

Tuesday’s had always been Aaron’s day with Sebastian, had been since he and Robert had gotten back together, had been since the custody agreement was finalised. Aaron lived for Tuesdays, some weeks, getting up at 7am when Sebastian would usually wake, leaving Robert to have an extra half an hour in bed as he got Seb’s breakfast ready, read him storybooks at the kitchen table in his pyjamas.

He hadn’t thought much about being a dad, until after he and Robert had gotten married, and even then, it hadn’t seemed like a real possibility, but it was now, and Aaron loved it - loved getting to pour his heart and soul into this tiny little human being, and see them learn, and grow.

He’d probably make it a full time career, being a job, if he could.

(Aaron had been meaning to broach the subject of more kids with Robert for a while now, wanting that house full of laughter and noise and tiny stomping feet he’d always dreamed of.)

“Yes you are, you’re a little sheep today, aren’t you?” Aaron nuzzled his face into the soft fluff of the onesie, blowing a raspberry against Sebastian’s cheek. “You’re my little sheep.”

Sebastian blinked at him, giving a tiny hiccup in response.

“I think it’s time we go and get some fresh air, you and me, eh?” Aaron said, shifting Sebastian to his hip, making his way down the stairs. Every day since Sebastian had become a permanent fixture in their home, he’d cursed Robert’s choice of a spiral staircase.

It was going to be hell, when he was toddling about.

Aaron kept chatting aimlessly as he got Sebastian ready for their epic adventure to Bob’s for a coffee, and then the park, Sebastian cooing and gurgling at him from the pram. “That’s a good story, you know,” he said, straightening the hood of Sebastian’s onesie.

The weather had turned, recently, a crisp cold replacing the warm summer they’d had, and Aaron was taking no chances. Robert would be impossible to live with, if Seb got even a slight cold, his husband enough of a hypochondriac as it was.

Grinning to himself, Aaron couldn’t help but snap a photograph of Sebastian lying in his pram, the silly ears attached to the hood of his onesie flopping over his face, giving him the look of a confused little lamb.

“That’s my boy,” Aaron murmured, leaning in to press a kiss to Sebastian’s nose. “Let’s see what awaits us in the big bad world, eh? I bet we can even beg you a few cuddles off your gran, if you smile big enough for her. She loves hearing your stories as much as I do, little man.”

Sebastian gurgled in response, little legs kicking in the soft fluffy trousers of the onesie.

Aaron grinned. “I knew you’d like that,” he said, kicking the brakes off the pram. “Lets go then, little lamb.”

 

 

 


	2. don't you cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first time aaron holds sebastian, he cries. and so does aaron.

 

 

 

 

 

They’d been back together a few weeks now, long enough that it was probably time for Aaron to spend more time with Sebastian. He’d invited Robert around, with him, for lunch, knowing he needed to bridge that gap.

It wasn’t as if Aaron resented Sebastian. No, no - it was the opposite, really. He’d always had a soft spot for kids, and his was an innocent little boy in all this. He’d spoken about it all with his counsellor, before he and Robert had decided to give things another go, had talked it all through with someone who was outside the situation, who’d give him unbiased advice.

She’d said that he should consider the fact Robert and Sebastian were a package deal, now, and that he had to decide if he could cope with it, because there was a child in the midst of them now, a child who could be badly impacted by their breakup.

So he had.

He’d thought about it, he’d considered it, he’d walked circles around the village, lost in his own thoughts and trying to figure out what was best to do, if he could deal with it.

And he decided he could.

Aaron loved Robert in a way he couldn’t quite describe. He often wondered if he’d ever find the words, to try and describe just how much he loved Robert, how much he wanted him.

Wanted, not needed. If their mess of a marriage had taught him anything, if their breakup had taught Aaron anything, it was that he should want, not need, and he wanted Robert, wanted to build a life with him.

“Do you want to hold him?” Robert asked, Sebastian cradled in his arms. He was wearing a little knitted jumper Diane had bought for him, thick and blue, the pinstripe trousers he was wearing a typically Robert thing to put on his own kid.

Aaron swallowed his nerves, and nodded. “I’d like to,” he nodded, eyeing a sleepy looking Sebastian warily.

“You don’t have to,” Robert said gently. “You don’t - you don’t have to do any of this, Aaron, I’d get it if it was a little much, right now. I want to do this at your pace.”

Aaron shook his head, setting his mug down on the kitchen side. They’d had lunch, Robert cooking up a storm in the Mill kitchen as Sebastian had gurgled and cooed from his little play-mat on the floor, Robert telling him all about how important tummy time was.

“This is at my pace,” Aaron said, holding out his arms. “I want to.”

Robert didn’t question him any further, carefully placing Sebastian in Aaron’s arms, brushing a thumb across his cheek, giving Sebastian a bright smile before he moved away, leaving Aaron holding the baby - literally.

He was so warm, in Aaron’s arms. He’d almost forgotten how warm, babies were, warm and heavy and real in his arms, a wriggling bundle in a knitted jumper. Sebastian was settled, for a few seconds, before his face screwed up, tears welling in his eyes.

“Robert, he’s crying.”

“He’ll settle, don’t worry,” Robert shook his head, stroking a finger against Sebastian’s cheek. “He’s just not used to you.”

Aaron couldn’t help but feel stiff, as he tried to rock Sebastian back to some semblance of calm, his little face turning bright red with the force of his cries, the sound pitiful in the quiet of their house.

“Robert, he’s not, he’s not settling,” Aaron babbled, hating that tears were welling in his own eyes as he spoke. He didn’t want Sebastian to hate him, didn’t want the kid to never be able to settle with him.

He wanted to be a dad, to him.

“He will,” Robert reassured, a comforting hand on Aaron’s back, rubbing long, slow circles.

Aaron couldn’t help but melt into his boyfriends touch, continuing to slowly rock Sebastian, his cries finally quietening, turning to soft, pitiful snuffles, Aaron wiping tears and snot from his chin with the sleeve of his t-shirt.

“See? He just needed a minute,” Robert said, pressing a kiss to the side of Aaron’s head. “He’s going to love you more than I do.”

Aaron looked down at the settling child in his arms, Sebastian reaching out with a tiny hand, fingers grabbing at one of the buttons on the henley Aaron was wearing, a look of concentration on his face. “I hope so,” he murmured, the tears in his eyes happy ones, now. “I really hope so.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. big trip out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaron takes on a cafe outing with three kids in tow. aka, another instalment of super!dad aaron dingle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’ve really taken to that, you know,” Bob commented, busy making Aaron’s coffee.

Aaron looked at Bob, bleary eyed, and completely confused. It was nearing lunchtime, and he’d only managed to get himself out of the house now, a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a slouchy hoodie on - he was sure Abigail had spit up on his t-shirt, as they’d left the house.

He was hardly going to win villager of the year, there and then.

It was his first week alone with the kids, during the day. When they’d found out their new addition was going to be two new additions, the twins a welcome surprise, he and Robert had talked it through, and decided it was a good idea for Aaron to stay at home with their babies.

He’d always fancied being a stay-at-home dad, and it was the perfect opportunity - the scrapyard running itself these days, Home James doing well enough for Robert to justify reducing down to four days a week, three when there wasn’t so many meetings, paperwork done from the comfort of their kitchen table.

But Robert did have to go to work, to Birmingham for a meeting that morning, leaving Aaron to play super dad for the day.

“Being a dad,” Bob explained, noting Aaron’s confusion, placing the coffee on the counter. “I’ve never seen anyone take to it like you have. Super dad, you are. Six pound fifty, please.”

Aaron rooted in his pocket for the change, handing it over to Bob. “You think?” he said, barely able to keep the smile from his face as he looked over at the little table where Sebastian was sitting, kicking his legs out, his favourite teddy bear in his lap, the huge double pram next to him.

He’d turned three, a few weeks beforehand, Sebastian growing into a right little boy, always running about and getting himself into trouble. Aaron was surprised he’d managed to make him sit for a solid five minutes while he’d ordered them some breakfast.

Or was it lunch now, really?

“I do,” Bob confirmed. “You’re a great dad, Aaron - they’re lucky to have you.”

Aaron looked over his shoulder at their three kids, the three people who were the very centre of his universe these days, and he couldn’t help but grin. “I’m lucky to have them,” he said, picking up the two drinks, and the plates of food, heading back over to their little table.

“Papa, can I ‘ave juice?” Sebastian looked up at him, innocent and doe-eyed. Aaron loved these little moments, when he was calm and quiet, right before he started running circles around them.

The terrible threes were  _real_.

Aaron nudged the glass of juice toward him, fixing the straw so it was at mouth level for him. “Did you look after your sisters while I was ordering?” he asked, glancing at the thankfully sleeping twins.

Sebastian nodded eagerly. “They’re sleepin’,” he mumbled, eyeing up the cookie Aaron had sitting next to his elbow.

Brushing Sebastian golden blond hair back off his forehead, mentally reminding himself to get Robert to take him for a haircut, Aaron smiled. “What do you say?” he teased, waiting for those magic words.

They were working on his p’s and q’s.

“Please, papa, can I have a cookie?” Sebastian said, sitting up a little straighter, an eager look on his face.

Aaron could never say no to him. “Of course you can, little lamb,” he murmured, breaking the cookie in half, setting one half down in front of Sebastian. Bob’s cookies were famed, among the kids of the village, and he’d learned the hard way giving Seb a full one all at once resulted in an almighty sugar crash.

“Thank ‘o papa!”

Aaron leaned back in his chair as Sebastian started to munch on a piece of his cookie, taking a swig of his piping hot coffee. He’d never been an Americano kind of guy, and then the twins had come along, and Aaron had decided he needed as much caffeine in his body as possible, as quickly as possible.

He managed to get half his cup of coffee down him before Leah woke up, pitiful cries filling the busy cafe. “It’s okay, love,” Aaron murmured, unstrapping Leah from the pram. She was wearing one of the ridiculous snowsuit’s Victoria had bought the twins, one covered in tiny little penguins, her shock of dark hair peaking out from underneath it.

If Abigail was the pukey baby, Leah was the crier.

Rocking her gently in his arms, Aaron managed a few bites of his sandwich before Abigail decided she was going to join in with the ruckus, letting out a whimper from her pram.

“Come on, princess, give your daddy a break, eh?” Aaron pleaded, brushing a finger across her cheek, hoping it would calm her down. She was usually happy if she was getting a kiss or a cuddle, Abigail, and sure enough, she settled again, leaving Aaron to turn his focus back to Leah.

Who was getting a crumb covered, slobbery kiss on the cheek from Sebastian. “Helping!” he declared as he realised Aaron was looking at him, waving his cookie about, Aaron wincing as he coated himself, the table, and the floor with crumbs.

“You’re my little helper, aren’t you?” Aaron smiled, brushing his fingers through Sebastian’s hair again. He really did need that haircut, and soonish, before he wasn’t able to see.

Sebastian beamed at him. “I am!”

Aaron looked down at a setting Leah, her little cheeks bright red from the effort of her tears.

Three kids fed, mostly happy, and he was managing to get some food down himself as well.

Super dad wasn’t far wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. fall asleep in my arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sebastian only seems to settle in aarons arms.
> 
> for @inthedreamatorium on tumblr.

 

 

 

 

“He won’t sleep,” Robert said tiredly, looking dead on his feet as he paced the nursery, Sebastian red faced and screaming in his arms, determined he wasn’t going to bed that evening.

Aaron gave his husband a sympathetic look, giving his elbow a squeeze. “Give him here, I’ll try,” he said, heart twisting in his chest at the grateful look Robert gave him. Sebastian had been more fussy than usual, the past few days, refusing to settle, not wanting to sleep, crying more than normal.

He’d been so good, those first few weeks, it had them worried, but Dr Harrison had reassured them it was just a bit of fussiness, he wasn’t ill, didn’t have colic, none of the usual.

Robert carefully handed a still crying Sebastian to Aaron, Aaron cooing at the baby as soon as he was settled in his arms, rubbing slow circles across his back. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he reassured. “What’s with these tears, eh? What are you crying over?”

“I don’t think he likes me very much right now,” Robert sighed, twisting a muslin cloth between his fingers, dark circles almost black underneath his eyes. He looked exhausted, as though he was about to collapse to the carpet and curl up there and just  _sleep_.

Making a mental note to switch off Robert’s alarm and try and force him to stay in bed a little longer in the morning, try and make up for he hours of sleep lost, Aaron shook his head. “Mum says kids can go through funny phases,” he said. “Apparently I would scream my head off, when she’d come near me when I was Sebastian’s age.”

Robert gave a slight shrug. “Still,” he mumbled. “He likes you better.”

“He doesn’t like me better, you idiot,” Aaron rolled his eyes, Sebastian starting to settle in his arms as he soothed him, hands spanning nearly the whole of Sebastian’s back.

“He’s settling for you.”

“Apparently babies can tell when you’re upset,” Aaron said, thinking of the article he’d read the other day, dossing off scrapping, the weather ice-cold and wet, Aaron not much liking the idea of tearing apart a car in the sleet.

“They what?”

“Apparently,” Aaron confirmed. “I bet he can tell when you’re stressing, over not being about to get him to sleep. Isn’t that it, little man?” he said, Sebastian beginning to fall asleep on his shoulder, face tucked into the crook of Aaron’s neck, his tiny breaths hot against Aaron’s skin.

He loved this, getting to put Sebastian to sleep. The little boy was so tiny in his arms, as he’d snuffle and shift in Aaron’s arms, restless until he’d eventually fall asleep, and Aaron had never felt responsibility like it - this little person, he depended on them for everything, and Aaron wanted to give hm everything, all the love he had.

“So that’s why he only ever falls asleep with you,” Robert murmured. “There was me thinking I’d have to tell Rebecca our son refuses to sleep whenever I’m near him,” he sighed, stroking the back of his finger against Sebastian’s cheek.

“It’s a learning curve, innit?” Aaron shrugged, carefully settling Sebastian into his crib, the scratch mittens he was wearing making his heart swell. He’d never really considered himself overly broody, but he was beyond obsessed with everything baby related, these days. “For all of us. We’ll figure it out, you and me.”

“I’m so grateful, you know - for you giving me another chance, for being willing to do this with me,” Robert said, tugging him close. “I know I haven’t made it easy, having Rebecca, and Sebastian in our lives, but..”

“He’s my son too,” Aaron said, guiding a tired Robert out of Sebastian’s nursery, and toward their bedroom. “I love him, Robert.”

Robert gave him the most heartfelt smile. “And I love  _you_.”

Aaron grinned. “You just love that I’m the only one who can get him to fall asleep.”

 

 

 

 

 


	5. four could be our number

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaron is desperate for some alone time with his husband. their kids have other plans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron loved his kids. Aaron loved his kids more than life itself, he really did. They were the absolute light of his life, but he was starting to get a little desperate for some alone time with his husband.

Parenthood was busy, and Aaron was craving some time alone, in bed with Robert. And by craving, he meant he was willing to lock their bedroom door and ignore their kids for a half an hour if it meant getting even a half arsed hand-job off his drop dead gorgeous husband.

It was Saturday, early enough that the kids were still asleep, and Aaron was wide awake.

It felt like the perfect time.

Well, Robert would argue 6am was not the perfect time to wake him up for a shag, but Aaron was willing to risk a potentially moody Robert if it meant he could finally have sex.

He’d stopped counting the weeks, thats how long it had been.

Easing himself out of bed, Aaron opened their bedroom door as quietly as he could, practically walking downstairs on tiptoes. A coffee would ease the string of a 6am wakeup, and butter Robert up a little, he knew that much, so he turned on their coffee machine, making Robert a steaming americano with bated breath, hoping no one had heard him up and about.

He loved being a dad. Aaron loved everything about being a dad, even the sleepless nights, and the temper tantrums, because the good always made up for the stressful, when it came to their kids.

Aaron just really needed to get shagged.

Carefully making his way back upstairs, avoiding the creakiest floorboards on their landing, he felt his heart sink into his stomach as he heard aimless chatter coming from their bedroom.

He really hadn’t been downstairs that long.

Nudging open the door, Aaron was met with a familiar scene - Sebastian and the girls in their bed. They were prone to making their way in, when they’d decided their dads weren’t up early enough, and Leah sitting on Robert’s chest, teddy in hand, while Abigail was sprawled on on his pillow, Sebastian in the middle of it all - that was normal Saturday morning life.

“‘m sorry,” Robert mouthed, apparently having realised why Aaron had come bearing coffee. They’d talked about it, one quiet evening in front of the telly, a poorly Leah passed out in Robert’s lap.

They agreed, they’d been in desperate need of alone time. They needed some time to just be Aaron and Robert, the couple, not the dads.

Their kids had other plans, apparently.

“Papa!” Abigail called out, stretching her hands out in front of her. Her hair had said perfectly formed in dark ringlets, even as she’d turned three, Leah’s hair falling naturally straighter the older she got. His mum called Abi Shirley Temple, every time she saw her, Chas settling her granddaughter on the bar and tugging at her curls, making her laugh.

She was the twin who was most like Aaron himself, everyone said. They were identical, Leah and Abigail, save for a few differences, and apparently the biggest difference was their personalities  - Leah was like Sebastian, loud and boisterous and happy to cause absolute havoc wherever she went.

Abigail was quieter, always had been, her nose permanently stuck in some of Sebastian’s old toys, the ones he deemed himself too grown up for now, Hot Wheels and police cars making up Abigail’s little universe as she’d play on the living room carpet.

When she looked at Aaron like that, all wide eyed and toothily smiling at him, Aaron was helpless to do anything except crawl into bed with his family, Abigail curling up on his chest as he pulled the duvet up over them.

“Papa, play?” Abigail asked, tugging on Aaron’s chin.

Aaron blew a raspberry against her chin, making her laugh. “It’s early yet,” he said. “Why don’t we sleep a while longer?”

Robert looked at him, Leah happily dozing on his chest, Sebastian tucked under the crook of his arm, Robert running a hand through their son’s white blond hair, Seb looking halfway to sleep again, and Aaron wasn’t sure he’d ever been more in love with Robert than he was there and then, his husband sleep soft and surrounded by kids.

“And you want more?” Robert whispered, a playful grin on his face.

Aaron held Abigail a little tighter with one arm, reaching for Robert’s fingers, tangling heir hands loosely above Sebastian’s head. “Of course I do,” he murmured in response, coffee going cold on the bedside locker, any chance of a quickie long gone. “I’d have twenty, if you’d let me.”

“I feel like four could be our number,” Robert replied, squeezing his fingers. “ _Superdad_.”

 

 

 

 


	6. a house full of love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaron broaches the subject of more kids with robert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron felt nervous. Stomach twisting, heart thumping kind of nervous, the kind of nervous that had him rearranging their sofa cushions in an attempt to distract himself from how nervous he did feel.

It was stupid, to be nervous, Aaron decided, trying to figure out what order the orange and grey cushions looked best in. Robert was his husband, and they could talk anything through, these days - that was their new rule, they talked about everything.

But he couldn’t help but wonder if Robert would be on board, with what Aaron had to say.

Robert was a good dad. He had taken a while, to find his feet, but he was a good dad - soft with Sebastian in a way that surprised people, his son his priority, Robert doting on him.

He was a really good dad, he was - but Aaron couldn’t shake the memory of the conversation they’d had, a few months ago, where Robert admitted that he hadn’t really seriously considered having kids of his own before. Apparently, he and Chrissie had been on the same page with that - she hadn’t wanted any more kids, and Robert hadn’t wanted any at all.

What if Robert didn’t want any more kids?

The thought of it was enough to have Aaron chewing through the cuff of his jumper, waiting for Robert to get home. He was near enough chewing a hole through the material when the front door finally went, Robert tumbling in.

He’d been at a conference, in Birmingham, the past two days, and he looked dog-tired and happy to be hope as he arrived in the front door, leather holdall in hand, wearing that maroon blazer of his that Aaron loved so much.

“I am so glad to see you,” Robert declared, dumping his bag on the ground, and enveloping Aaron in a tight hug.

Aaron wrapped his arms around Robert’s waist, breathing in the familiar scent of his husband, the woody smell of his cologne clinging to the collar of his white shirt as Aaron buried his face in it, keeping him close. “I’ve missed you,” he admitted, thinking of how quiet the house had seemed the past few days.

(That had been what had made his decision, in the end, the silence of the house - Robert away, Liv locked upstairs in her room doing coursework and being a typical moody teenager, leaving him on his arse and watching re-runs of Grand Designs alone. Aaron didn’t want a quiet house, not anymore.)

“Can we talk?” he managed to say, pulling back from Robert slightly.

Robert immediately looked concerned, his grip on Aaron’s waist tight. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”

“Nothing, no, I just - I’m going about this all wrong,” Aaron sighed at his own babbling, keeping hold of Robert, keeping him close. “I want more kids, Robert.”

Aaron was met with his worst fear, as he spoke - complete silence from Robert.

Pulling back, Aaron tugged his sleeves down over his hands, talking a mile a minute as he tried to explain himself. “I want more kids,” he repeated. “I want - I want the house full of noise, and kids running about the place, you know? Being a dad to Sebastian, it’s made me realise how much I love being a parent, how much I want to be a dad. I want to give kids everything I didn’t have, growing up, the holidays, the happy memories.”

Aaron looked at Robert, wide-eyed. “I get it, if you don’t want that, if you don’t want more kids, but just - please say something, Robert.”

Robert looked as though he needed a few seconds to try and gather his thoughts. “You want  _more_ kids?”

Aaron couldn’t help but wonder if his husband had gotten some sort of lobotomy, while he had been away. “That’s what I just said,” he shook his head. “I want more kids, Rob.”

“More - more like  _we_  already have kids?” Robert looked utterly, completely confused by his words.

And then it clicked.

“You know I love Sebastian,” Aaron said, crossing the room to be close to Robert again, his husband’s insecurities on show. “He’s our son, Robert, don’t ever doubt that.”

“I don’t, I just - I don’t deserve you,” Robert said, shaking his head. “I don’t deserve the second chance you gave me, I don’t deserve you loving Sebastian the way you do.”

“I do it because I want to, Robert,” Aaron said. “I love you, and I love Sebastian. You’re my family.”

“And you want a bigger family? With me?” Robert still sounded unsure.

“Only if you want to.”

“Sometimes I just - I can’t believe how lucky I am,” Robert said softly, brushing a thumb across Aaron’s cheek. “You could have anyone in the world, you, and you want me - you want to have a family with me.”

“You’re the love of my life, Robert,” Aaron shook his head. “There’s no one else I’d want a family with.”

“Any kid would be so lucky to have you as a dad, you know,” Robert said, voice thick with emotion, as though he couldn’t quite find the words for how he was feeling. “So lucky.”

Aaron couldn’t help but grin. “Is that a yes, then?” he asked, unable to keep the hope out of his voice at Robert’s words, mind already whirling, thinking of adoption, surrogacy, all the ways they could fill their house with noise, and love, and laughter, all the ways they could make their family bigger, dreaming of babies and happy memories and the kids they could raise.

Robert’s eyes were glassy with tears as he nodded. “I’d love nothing more than to have more kids with you, Aaron.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
